


Softest Touch

by MoistMango



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Cuddles, Fluff, Gen, Hybrids, Mentioned Kidnapping, THERE'S GONNA BE SO MUCH FLUFF, Tim Drake-centric, hybrid!Tim, slightly crackish, snow leopard hybrid!tim
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 00:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20666048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoistMango/pseuds/MoistMango
Summary: Being a Snow Leopard Hybrid- and being the only Hybrid in the family- has its ups and downs but Tim wouldn't have it any other way.Cue the Tim-centric, batfam cuddles!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So I'm in a funk right now and just really wanted to write and post something, and even though it's not the updates that I do want to write and post for my ongoing fics, it's at least something lol
> 
> This is a spinoff (??) for my birdflash-centric, Fox Hybrid!Wally fic "Orion's Belt" but this can be read on its own because it's just gonna be unrelated one-shots set in the same verse posted here
> 
> So enjoy Snow Leopard Hybrid Timmy! Round ears and big floffy tail!!!!!!
> 
> English isn't my native language so there's bound to be awkward wording and grammar errors and I apologize for that!

When Damian enters the library, he has to pause by the doorway at the sight that greets him and a scowl pulls down on his lips as he thinks _ not again! _

Father is reclined back on one of the armchairs, a book in hand and ignoring the other two in the room other than Damian.

The other two being Todd and Timothy.

There is a gleeful smirk on Todd’s face as he flicks the laser pointer in his hand all over the room, and Timothy- Timothy _ never _ fails to get distracted by the _ Red Dot _ flying all over the floor and walls, white, furry ears dotted with black details standing at attention and tail swaying in concentration, as his glacial blue eyes tracks the dot all over the place. 

The Snow Leopard Hybrid never seem to realize what is going on until he inevitably runs into furniture that are in his way, or face first into a wall- Ending in a bloody nose for Timothy and bloody scratches for whoever had used the accursed _ Laser Pointer _. 

Todd is a menace that finds glee in seeing Timothy succumbing to his instincts like a _ little kitten- _ Todd, Grayson, Brown and Cassandra all do. Father does too though he will never admit to it. Being the only Hybrid in the family, Timothy tended to get ambushed and teased for being _adorable_. __

The fearsome Red Robin, curled up like a kitten when taking naps and purring like a motor when getting his chin scratched? 

A sight to behold indeed.

Damian did not care nor did he have a _ soft spot _ for Timothy- _ Gods forbid, no_\- but he currently had a need for his company, and if Timothy ended up with a bloody nose then Damian would have to clean him up and it would be most troublesome, never mind that the older boy could do it himself.

Damian holds in an exasperated sigh.

Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne, Gotham’s only Snow Leopard Hybrid, Red Robin, former Robin and partner to the Batman, who has fought criminals and assassins without breaking a sweat and rules their father’s company with an iron grip, gets _ easily _ distracted by a laser toy designed for cats. 

Predator or not, there seems to be something in the Cat gene that always puts their attention in the mercy of the_ Laser Pointer. _

Damian eyes his father. The man might act like he’s ignoring his older sons, but Damian knows that Father is just waiting for Todd to upset Timothy, who will then scowl and try to scratch Todd, before eventually pouting and cuddle up to Father for comfort. He will not say anything as long as no one gets hurt- physically, at least.

Father may think he is being sly, but Damian is on to him and his scheme of getting Timothy to snuggle up to him without having to utter a single word.

Well, no matter, Damian was not going to cancel his plans just because Father was too _ shy _ to outright ask Timothy for cuddles. 

He has had less than a pleasant day, and Timothy’s hugs, along with his big, soft tail wrapped around Damian, and his soothing purring never fails to make Damian feel better. 

Stalking up to Todd with the scowl still plastered on his face, Damian smacks the laser pointer from the older man’s hand, ignoring his indignant _ hey, brat! _ before turning and making his way over to Timothy.

The Hybrid is blinking dazedly, as if coming out of a trance- which always happens when the _ Red Dot _ suddenly disappears without Timothy having had a chance to eliminate it- before a frown tugs at his lips and he glares in Todd’s direction when he realizes what just happened.

Before Timothy can say anything, Damian reaches out and gently scratches behind his left ear and the older boy’s gaze slides to look at him in expectation.

“Come, Timothy, I require your presence,” the youngest Robin states before turning on his heel and making his way out of the library to go to his room, not even waiting to see if Timothy will follow. He will grumble, and he will roll his eyes, but he always followed anyways.

Before, Timothy used to complain about not having to do anything Damian told him to but now, the Hybrid does not even bother. 

Damian will get his cuddles no matter what. 

Damian is already laying in bed and waiting, on his back and staring up at the ceiling with his hands clasped on top of his stomach- like always- when Timothy finally arrives. 

The older boy immediately rearranges Damian out of his stiff position so he is curled on his side, ear pressed to Timothy’s chest so he can hear and feel his purring. The tip of the Hybrid’s tail brushes softly against Damian’s cheek and the boy lets out a sigh as he gently cradles it in his hand. The tip of it tickles against Damian’s nose and he scrunches up his face, making Timothy snort at the expression he makes.

He is pleased to feel how fluffy the tail is- Timothy must have liked the conditioner Damian had brought him enough for him to use it.

Had they not been kidnapped those few months ago- Timothy for the value of his rare Hybrid genetics, his tail and ears extremely valuable in the black market, and Damian for ransom- Damian doesn’t think they could be cuddling easily like they have done after the incident.

As Red Robin- and when he’d been Robin, too- Timothy tucked his ears under the cowl and his tail under his tunic- Timothy Drake-Wayne was the only Snow Leopard Hybrid in Gotham, after all, and figuring out Red Robin’s identity from his tail and ears alone would’ve been instantaneous. 

The dilemma of hearing was solved by in-ear hearing devices that got put in his ears before folding them over so he could wear his cowl, and the training before becoming Robin had helped with his balance without the help of his tail steadying him.

Red Robin and Robin would’ve had no problem fighting off the kidnappers.

But they’d been kidnapped as their civilians selves, and Timothy had been drugged too, so fighting had not been optimal.

Had Nightwing and Red Hood been even a second later, Timothy’s tail would’ve been cut off right then and there- And Timothy wouldn’t have attempted to attack their kidnappers had it not been because Damian had gotten struck in the face in the first place.

The fact that Timothy would protect Damian so readily- as drugged as he had been- even at the cost of his own safety, had been jarring and- Eye opening, to say the least.

And after, when they’d safely been brought back to the Cave, Timothy had embraced him- something about his protective instincts going overdrive, needing to make sure the family’s youngest _ cub _ was safe- and the feeling of his purring vibrating through Damian’s body, the softness of his tail in his hands and his ears twitching against Damian’s cheek had been... Nice. Pleasant.

Ever since, Damian has found himself seeking out Timothy’s company when he especially felt down or agitated. He hasn’t addressed him as _ Drake _ ever since.

A Feline Hybrid’s purring had calming effects and Damian was just using Timothy for his own gains,_ that was it- _

Timothy butted his head against Damian’s cheek and the younger boy brought up a hand to pet his ears and run his fingers through the Hybrid’s hair. The older boy let out a content chirrup as his purring picked up.

-And if Timothy wanted and got some cuddling and petting out of it, then who was Damian to deny him?


	2. Habits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s found out from documentaries that it’s a behavioral trait for regular Snow Leopards, but seeing it ingrained in Timmy, the way he unconsciously bites down on his fluffy tail when he’s concentrating or lost in thought is. Just. So. _Cute.___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slightly crackish me thinks lol

Just like with the laser pointers, feather toys and scratches that has Tim turning into a puddle of purring goo all the time, acting more Cat than Human, Dick’s pretty sure Tim doesn’t even realize when he has his tail in his mouth. 

Like a pacifier.

He’s found out from documentaries that it’s a behavioral trait for regular Snow Leopards, but seeing it ingrained in Timmy, the way he unconsciously bites down on his fluffy tail when he’s concentrating or lost in thought is. Just. So. _ Cute. _

And don’t even get Dick started on the way Tim sleeps, all curled up with his tail either around him or clamped in his mouth, or the way his pupils go all round like Puss in Boots’ does when he sees something he likes, or the way he’ll wriggle his butt before pouncing, or the way the tip of his tail shakes when he’s happy and content, or- Okay, yes, Dick can go on and on about how adorable Tim is without even realizing that he’s doing it.

And he can also go on and on about how brilliant Tim is. Despite his hearing being slightly inhibited due to his cowl, Red Robin can still pick out sounds that regular humans can’t, and even though his tail is rolled up to better hide under his suit, Tim’s balance is still great and his form amazing as he runs over small ledges and lands on precarious places, and he doesn’t need night vision in his lenses like the others does, and he’s smart as_ hell-_

_Ahem-_ Yes, right. Back to the point. Which is that Timmy is _cute. _And brilliant!

The pictures and videos of Tim letting himself relax and act on his more feline instincts that Dick- and pretty much everyone else in their family- has taken over the years has probably accumulated to the millions now. 

He wonders how much he could get out of Ra’s al Ghul for one picture of Timmy using his tail as a pacifier. Probably a million bucks, at least.

If all else fails and Bruce loses his fortune, they could just sell a couple of footages of Timmy pouncing after a laser dot and gain that fortune back, if not more.

Jokes aside, Dick really is glad Tim feels at ease enough around them to let himself act like this. 

He’s seen the footages of Janet Drake whenever she had been in public, whether it be for a conference or a gala, that woman always seemed to have an iron grip on her emotions and reactions. Her tail was always still and her ears rarely twitched unless someone had said something she found utterly ridiculous. 

Sometimes Dick wonders how Janet could have let Tim out of her sight- and then remembers that she’d probably- _well, _attempted_ to_\- locked little Tim up in their house when she couldn’t stay because the wanderlust was calling to her.

Obviously that didn’t do anything and Tim ended up sneaking out on his own and wandering Gotham’s streets at night anyways.

It’s a wonder he’s survived until now with either of his ears and tail still intact.

But then again, even Batman and Robin hadn’t noticed him trailing them.

Catching Tim off guard was next to impossible, especially because of his enhanced hearing, sense of smell and sight. Sure, people said it was hard to startle Batman too, but that was because Bruce had very good control of his reactions and _ acted _ like he didn’t get surprised or startled. 

Timmy, though, could already see anything coming at him from a mile away.

So of course, when Dick wants to surprise the younger boy or get him to cuddle with Dick, Tim’s already fled to the other side of the Manor and hides away until Dick gives up with a defeated pout.

_ But_, if Dick sighs and pouts enough, it never fails to make Tim feel guilty and the younger boy will reluctantly approach him with his arms open and who was Dick to pass an opportunity given freely to him like that?

It’s a little manipulative, Dick knows that, Tim knows that, _ hell_\- Everyone knows that, but if Tim truly hadn’t wanted to cuddle with his _amazing_ big brother, then he would’ve made it very clear. 

When Dick is feeling genuinely down, though, he can always count on Tim to provide him with hugs.

And having Timmy in his arms, Dick gets a front seat view of seeing and hearing Tim’s unique and adorable quirks, his favorites being, of course, the Pacifier Habit, the Motor Purring and Timmy’s soft ears and hair under Dick’s hand as he pets and cards through the strands with his fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw I bleached my bangs cus I wanted to look like X-Men's Rogue and Claire Saffitz (but like, realistically, a discount version of them obviously) and because I have black asian hair it obviously turned out yellow so does anyone have tips on how to fix it?? ;u;
> 
> I've bleached my hair before but I always colored it with bright colors (red, blue, green etc) but this time I just want it white lol thanks in advance for any tips!!

**Author's Note:**

> **Kudos, comments _(especially those!!!)_ and subscriptions are greatly appreciated!** 🌹
> 
> Come talk to me on tumblr and/or twitter @moistestmango! ^^


End file.
